|
MJSA At the Bench Live Sessions Set for Expo West,
AGTA GemFair Tucson
ATTLEBORO FALLS, Massachusetts – Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America has scheduled a series of At the Bench Live demonstrations for its MJSA Expo West Pavilion. The seminars will take place daily Feb. 2-7 at AGTA GemFair Tucson. Conducted by some of the industry's most renowned designers and jewelers, the interactive sessions will cover a range of solutions for bench challenges, from using CAD/CAM in the setting of fancy-cut gems, to the repurposing of gem-set heirlooms.
The American Gem Trade Association presents the AGTA GemFair annually at the Tucson Convention Center. The MJSA Expo West Pavilion has newly returned to Tucson, and will be located in the Ballroom on the center's Galleria level. It will feature the tools, supplies, and services needed by designers and manufacturers to create the finest gem-set jewelry.
At the Bench Live sessions will take place outside the Ballroom daily. The schedule is as follows.
Tuesday, Feb. 2
Beginners’ Way to Micro-Pavé
Presenter: Lisa Krikawa
Award-winning jewelry designer Lisa Krikawa will demonstrate a pavé setting technique that, through the use of unique gravers, can help you to bead-set small diamonds and gemstones securely and accurately. Suitable for work on any scale, this information will set you on your way with your pavé practice.
Wednesday, Feb. 3
Craft and Creativity: Improvisation at the Bench
Presenter: Alishan Halebian
A master goldsmith renowned for bold and often provocative designs, Alishan will demonstrate how he improvises at the bench to create designs that best showcase specific gems.
Thursday, Feb. 4
Setting Fancy-Cut Gems 1: A Traditional Approach
Presenter: Lee Krombholz
Fancy-cut gemstones, with their subtle cut variations, present setters with numerous challenges. In this session, custom designer Lee Krombholz demonstrates traditional wax-working techniques to create cast settings that are appealing, secure, and lasting.
Friday, Feb. 5
Setting Fancy-Cut Gems 2: A CAD/CAM Approach
Presenter: Lee Krombholz
Lee Krombholz has won numerous awards for his computer-aided designs. Here, he shows how he uses CAD technology to create a wax model, then applies traditional bench techniques to ensure that model becomes a finished piece that safely and securely holds a fancy-cut gem.
Saturday, Feb. 6
Working on Heirloom Jewelry: Recycle, Repurpose, Rejuvenate
Presenter: Gary Dawson
More and more customers are asking jewelers to re-work the heirlooms they've inherited — jewelry that often has endured years of abuse, faulty repairs, and overall neglect. Goldsmith/designer Gary Dawson shows how to identify the hidden challenges in such pieces, safely remove the gemstones, and either recycle or repurpose them to create modern jewels.
Sunday, Feb. 7
Creating Unique Settings for Unusual Stones
Presenter: Gary Dawson
Jewelers often must fabricate their own settings to accommodate unusually shaped gemstones. Gary Dawson shows how to make the wire or sheet metal jewelers need for a specific job, and how to create a secure and attractive setting.
For more information about MJSA Expo West, go to www.mjsa.org. For more information about AGTA GemFair Tucson, go to www.agta.org.
Designer Alishan Halebian’s 2007 Akoli Spiral illustrates his ability to showcase a single gem. At his MJSA Expo West At the Bench Live presentation, during AGTA Gemfair Tucson, he’ll demonstrate how he approaches designing for specific gemstones.
Retail jeweler and custom designer Lee Krombholz crafted this pendant, which shows his ability to set fancy-cut gemstones. The jeweler, who has won numerous design awards, will demonstrate traditional and CAD approaches to setting fancy-cut gems, at two presentations during MJSA Expo West’s At the Bench Live, AGTA Gemfair Tucson.
About MJSA
Founded in 1903, Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) is a national trade association based in Providence, Rhode Island, that provides the resources and support necessary for U.S.-based jewelry designers, manufacturers, and suppliers to compete successfully. For more information, call MJSA at 1-800-444-6572 or visit www.mjsa.org.
|
